The Downfall of Trump’s Ambassador to Greece, and the Pope’s Cancer Diagnosis

Tracy Mumford (0:00)

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Katie Zacharia (0:02)

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Tracy Mumford (0:11)

Trial eligibility varies. Terms apply, cancel any time. From The New York Times, it's The Headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today is Wednesday, October 14th. Here's what we're covering.

To start, two updates on the Trump administration. One arrival and one departure. First, Katie Zacharia held her first briefing yesterday as the new White House press secretary.

Katie Zacharia (0:44)

I want to thank President Trump for his trust that he has placed in me. I have wanted to work for him for a very long time.

Tracy Mumford (0:56)

The conservative commentator who used to appear on Fox News and Newsmax is taking over for Caroline Levitt, who left the job this summer.

Katie Zacharia (1:03)

This is a president and administration that is looking out for you, the American people, and I'm thrilled to officially be part of this incredible journey together. And with that, I will take your questions.

Tracy Mumford (1:20)

Zacharia spent most of her time yesterday reading from a script and only called on three reporters from Fox News, The Daily Mail and Breitbart. Has the US stopped sharing intel with Ukraine?

Katie Zacharia (1:33)

I'll have to get back to you on that.

Tracy Mumford (1:35)

In all, the whole thing was very short, just 14 minutes, during which Zacharia said the president was his own best spokesperson and that reporters could ask him their questions directly. Since Zacharia was announced as press secretary, there have been questions about her background. Trump has called her an attorney, she identifies herself as a lawyer and has a law degree. But when the Times asked which state she had passed the bar exam in, she replied, quote, When I moved to China, asked later for clarification, White House officials would not say whether or where she'd passed the bar.

Now, when it comes to the departure from the administration, we have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign.

Katie Zacharia (2:22)

She has been a wonderful asset to the team and we wish her well.

Tracy Mumford (2:26)

Zacharia did break one piece of news in her first briefing, announcing that Trump had effectively fired Kimberly Guilfoyle, the US ambassador to Greece. Guilfoyle's resignation comes after a string of damaging reports, including one from the Wall Street Journal, that she had asked a Republican donor to pay off her $100,000 credit card bill last summer, right before she was confirmed by the Senate. According to messages the donor provided to the Times, Guilfoyle asked him, quote, Honey, please, I need you to get this done for me today, and promised that she would serve as his ride-or-die in Trump world if he sent her the money. The Journal also reported on her potential conflicts of interest over energy deals. Yesterday, President Trump said, quote, she was doing a good job, but we didn't like what we were reading. He also tried to downplay his connection to Guilfoyle, who is a former Fox News host and former prosecutor. Trump nominated her as one of his first ambassadors when he returned to office, and she was once engaged to his son, Donald Trump Jr. But the president said, quote, she wasn't a member of my family. During her brief time as ambassador in Greece, Guilfoyle made a splash, appearing on the cover of Vogue Greece, joking with the Greek president that she was there to find a new husband, and staying out late at Athens nightclubs, as she said her active social life showed her commitment to the job. In a social media post confirming her resignation, Guilfoyle wrote that she plans to, quote, vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity.

At The Vatican, officials announced that Pope Leo has been diagnosed with lung cancer after surgeons removed a lower lobe of his right lung. The official diagnosis is lung adenocarcinoma, a common form of the disease. The Vatican declined to comment on whether Leo was ever a smoker, but according to one medical expert The Times spoke with, the information The Vatican has released so far seems to indicate its early stage, which is typically treated with surgery and tends to have a very high survival rate.

The Pope, who is 71, had announced on Sunday he was about to have the surgery, sharing the news with thousands of people who had gathered in St. Peter's Square to hear his weekly prayer. He said at that point doctors had identified a small growth in his lung. His cancer diagnosis raises questions about how he'll handle his demanding role moving forward, leading the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. He just recently traveled to Spain and France, and for now he has said he will keep his plan to travel to Latin America next month.